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LIFE 







MORAL AXIOMS 



CONFUCIUS. 



BY MARCENUS R. K. WRIGHT. 



BATTLE CREEK, MICH.: 

PL T BLISHED FOB THE ATJTHOB 

1870. 






CONFUCIUS. 



THE 

MORAL APHORISMS 

(* *** .' AXD 

Terseological Teachings 



CONFUCIUS, 

THE SAPIENT CHINESE PHILOSOPHER, 

WHO LIVED FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-ONE YEARS BEFORE 

THE CHRISTIAN ERA, AND WHOSE WISE PRECEPTS 

HAVE LEFT A LASTING IMPRESSION UPON ALL 

SUBSEQUENT CIVILIZED NATIONS. 

TO WHICH IS ADDED 

A CORRECT LIKENESS OP THE GREAT PHILOSOPHER, 



A SHORT SKETCH OF HIS LIFE. 



H- 









BATTLE CREEK, MICH. : 

PtTBLISHED IFOIR, TUS ATJTHOB. 
1S70. 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by 

MARCENUS R. K. WRIGHT, 

In the Clerk's Office of the United States District Court, for the 

Western District of Michigan. 



Review & Herald Steam Press. 



TO 






ADMIRE GOODNESS, 

^.YD DESIRE TO FOLLOW A LIFE WELL COMMENDED FOR 

ITS REPRESENTATION OF WORTHY DEEDS AND 

EXEMPLARY CONDUCT AMONG 3IEN, 

THIS LITTLE VOLUME 

IS MOST KESPECTrULLY DEDICATED, 



The Author 



REVIEWER'S PREFACE. 



In presenting a newly-revised edition of the 
time-honored Precepts of Confucius to the public, 
we hope to meet with the approval of the admirers 
of that wise and truth-loving ancient philosopher 
and political economist. Our author lived the life 
of a just and noble man, and left a heritage of 
personal greatness behind him, in his moral essays, 
which Chinese admiration still upholds as the only 
worthy standard of justice, by which all men 
should be governed in the pursuit of those mutual 
relations and duties which pertain to human exist- 
ence and happiness. 

The aphorisms of Confucius are worthy of the 
highest recognition and commendation from all 
well-inclined and thoughtful men, and are only 
equaled by the precepts of the great Christian 
Master who rested the superstructure of his moral 
philosophy upon the identical " Golden Kule" 
which is the basic principle of Confucianism. 

The object of re-arranging and newly wording 



6 Reviewer's Preface. 

the sentiments embodied in the maxims of our 
author at the present time, is to be found in the 
increased demand for a high moral literature, of 
which Confucius is acknowledged to be a disciple 
in the wisest light of mind. 

The author has accumulated facts and data 
during many years past, with the ultimate design 
of enlarging and improving the little volume of 
wise sayings which have been translated from the 
Chinese of Kongkfu-tse, and which found a cast- 
about existence in England many years ago, and 
subsequently in very imperfect form by the pres- 
ent authority in America. 

The life of the sage of Lu, as herein presented, 
is newly written and modified to conform to more 
recent historic disclosures, and facts derived from 
encyclopedian sources ; while the portrait of Con- 
fucius is taken from the illustrated work of Pau- 
thier, which is the only veritable key to the 
manners, customs, literature, and opinions, of the 
ancient Chinese. 

When a great and good man makes his debut 
upon the stage of human experience, and lives a 
life of unimpugned justice and honor, it becomes 
our duty, as admirers or advocates of the princi- 
ples which he taught, to frankly acknowledge our 



Reviewer's Preface* 7 

indebtedness therefor, as well as to understand 
the personal peculiarities which distinguished oiir 
esteemed exemplar above the ordinary condition 
of men. 

The social and political systems of China are 
founded upon the methodical aphorisms of the Le- 
tting and Ta-heOj the two principal books of the 
Confucian Philosophy, which is professed by all 
her greatest men, and accepted as the principal 
belief of all the educated classes, 

Confucius was a pungent maximist of unexcep- 
tionable character, and has been the worthy re- 
cipient of the laudations of his numerous country- 
men during the period of twenty-five centuries 
which have intervened since his decease. The 
fullness of his love of justice, as manifested in 
his exemplary life and teachings, has no equal in 
the annals of moralistic history. His wondrous 
adoration of the principle of goodness may. be re- 
garded as almost a miraculous expression of human 
wisdom, and his worship of the Omnipotent Arch- 
itect of nature, as the highest and noblest form of 
rationalistic veneration. 

When we contemplate the vast amount of time 
which separates us from the originator of the most 
astute civil and religious philosophy ever given to 



8 Reviewer's Preface. 

mankind, and remember the disadvantages which 
then interposed to cancel his claim to superior 
discernment and sagacity as a teacher and coun- 
sellor of his nation, -we may not only hold the 
" light of hope" in our own hands, as the cher- 
ished sentiment of the future, but regarding the 
sage precepts of Confucius as both timely and ac- 
ceptable to the literature of the age, we may ex- 
perience an ever-increasing thankfulness for his 
success as the redeemer of the Mongolian race* 




LIFE OF CONFUCIUS. 



The celebrated Chinese sage who bore the name 
of Kong, meaning master or teacher, or Kong-fu- 
tse, as given by his disciples, and afterward Lat- 
inized into Confucius by certain Jesuit missiona- 
ries who resided in China during the latter part 
of the seventeenth century, was born at Shang- 
ping, near the town of Tseuse, in the petty king- 
dom of Lu, on the 19th day of June, B. c. 551. 

His mother, whose name was Yan-she, and who 
is said to have sprung from the illustrious family 
of Yen, used to call her son by the singular name 
of Kieu — which signifies, in the Mongolian lan- 
guage, a "little hillock" or protuberance — be- 
cause he had an unusual elevation on the top of 
his forehead, in the region of comparison, benevo- 
lence, and love of nature, as defined by modern 
phrenologists. Various prophecies and forerun- 
ners of his birth and destiny, as we are told, are 
to be found in the annals of Chinese literature, 
and his worldly coming and career are said to 
have been revealed by the seers of earlier ages ; 
but this is a question as improbable, in the light 
of reflection, as the uncertainty of many similar 
prophetic disclosures concerning men and things 
in other times, and among other nations, and may 
be received with a wise allowance in favor of ab- 
solute knowledge. 

A renowned pedigree has been attributed to 
Confucius by his disciples, who derive his origin 



10 Life of Confucius. 

from Ho-ang-ti, a distinguished monarch who is 
said to have reigned in China 2000 years before 
the Christian era, or cotemporaneously with the 
fourth and sixth Egyptian Dynasties under the 
rule of the younger Pharaohs. His father, whose 
name was Shuh-le-ang-ho, died when Confucius 
was only three years old. But Yan-she, his lov- 
ing mother, extended to him her watchful care, 
and he received from her hand that attention and 
training which, associated with his naturally well- 
inclined disposititon, soon gave assurance of a 
manhood wherein indications of unusual mental 
qualities were presented. From his earliest years, 
he manifested an extraordinary love for intellect- 
ual pursuits, and displayed a deep and abiding 
interest in, and veneration for, the time-honored 
laws of his native country. 

Philosophic gravity, moral rectitude, and con- 
siderate deportment, marked his conduct when a 
boy, and won for him that extollation which was 
so characteristic of his entire life. He was grave 
and serious, yet pleasant, in his appearance, and 
took but little delight in playing and running 
about for amusement and pastime as was the habit 
of most boys of his own age. 

It is also said of Confucius that his knowledge 
was intuitive ; and that he seemed to arrive at 
just and legitimate conclusions with wondrous 
ease, while yet the faculties of his mind were 
hardly released from the insecurity of infancy. 
But his unexampled and exalted goodness was the 
distinguishing trait of his character, and his fidel- 
ity to a just decision of mind was always upper- 
most and unflinching. He esteemed, and confided 
in, his relatives, and made it his duty to receive 
the counsel and follow the advice of his grand- 



Life of Confucius. 11 

father, who was then living in the kingdom of 
Lu, at a very advanced age, and who was re- 
garded by all who knew him as a man in the ex- 
ercise of worthy sobriety, probity, and honor. 

It is related by one of the biographers of Con- 
fucius, that when he was a boy in his fifth year 
of age, being in the presence of his grandfather 
whom he heard sighing, he approached him with 
happy consideration and a full heart, and said, 
"May I presume, without being deprived of your 
respect, to inquire into the occasion of your sor- 
row ? Perhaps you regard your posterity as likely 
to degenerate, and wander from the exercise of 
that virtue and desirable righteousness which you 
so much admire." Whereupon Coum-tse, for such 
was his grandfather's name, being somewhat sur- 
prised at the sympathy and precocity of thought 
manifested by the young philosopher, very quietly 
replied, "What suggested that thought in your 
mind, my dear boy ? and where have you learned 
to think and speak so wisely ?" " From yourself," 
answered Confucius. "I usually regard your con- 
versation, and I have many times heard you re- 
mark that it is a duty a son owes to his ancestors, 
to support their virtuous habits and good name, 
or he proves himself unworthy of a record in the 
annals of their fame." 

After the death of his grandfather, Confucius 
became the pupil of Tcem-se, a renowned thinker 
and scholar of his time. Under the guidance of 
so wise a tutor, he soon made a surprising ad- 
vancement in the matter of his studies. The sub- 
ject of primitive history, or the antiquity of his 
race, was made the theme of interesting consider- 
ation and remark, and he considered it as the 



12 Life of Confucius. 

source from which was to be derived much valua- 
ble information. 

His stubborn regard for the ancients often 
caused him serious disputes and difficulties ; and 
it is related that upon one occasion, when only in 
his sixteenth year of age, he came very near los- 
ing his life in consequence of engaging in a dis- 
cussion — concerning certain Chinese books which 
treated of the subject of antiquity— with a bigoted 
person of high rank and quality, who insisted that 
they were obscure, and unworthy of the time em- 
ployed in their consideration. " The books which 
you despise," said Confucius, " are full of profound 
knowledge, which is not to be obtained without 
desire and the relinquishment of unwise preju- 
dice. The subordination of spirits by which the 
ignorant are made dependent upon the cohorts of 
the Imperial Register, may seem best to the sor- 
did and indifferent, but to the liberal and the just, 
however poor, the righteousness of ancient sim- 
plicity and sobriety is no longer a question of 
doubt. Only a short time since, an ordinary per- 
son with whom I was in conversation expressed 
similar sentiments to those which you have uttered. 
At that I was not surprised ; but I am astonished 
that one of your rank and learning should qualify 
your opinions as one of the lowest of the people." 

Confucius was subject to reprehension for his 
conversation with a peer of the realm, in the light 
of individual impertinence, and was threatened 
with severe penalties if he persisted in a continu- 
ance of such discussions. 

At the age of nineteen he received the ap- 
pointment of inspector of the corn-marts, and be- 
came very much distinguished by the manifesta- 
tion of great industry and energy in suppressing 



Life of Confucius. 13 

fraud and dishonesty in trade, and by the timely 
introduction of desirable order and integrity into 
all the business relations over which he held con- 
trol. 

At the age of nineteen years, he was married ; 
but at the end of four years released himself from 
matrimonial life, as it is said, that he might be 
free from all household incumbrances and connec- 
tions, and at liberty to propagate his already 
widely-known philosophy throughout the empire. 
He is reported, by his biographers, to have lived 
contentedly with his wife w^hile it was her happi- 
ness to be his consort, and refused himself the 
privilege of keeping concubines, which was then 
the common custom of his country, because he 
believed it objectionable in the light of a wise un- 
derstanding of Nature's intention. 

Confucius received the appointment of inspect- 
or-general of pastures and flocks ; and the result 
of the judicious measures which he instituted to 
regulate the production of live stock, which was 
then an important and profitable occupation for 
the husbandman, and a direct source of revenue 
to the government, was clearly manifest in the 
improvement and progress made in the cultivation 
of the country, and in the condition of the people. 

The mother of our moral hero died when he 
was in his twenty-third year ; and, owing to his 
affectionate regard for her, and the ancestral fam- 
ily from which she derived her name, he allowed 
his excessive grief to interfere for a time with the 
discharge of his administrative duties ; and finally, 
in obedience to a well-considered determination 
of mind, he resigned the functions of his office 
altogether, and gave himself up to solemn retire- 
ment, which was the first important act marking 



14 Life of Confucius. 

his career as a pure-minded and honest philoso- 
pher. 

In conformity to a custom which had long been 
held in derision by many of his countrymen, and 
which had been derived from very remote periods, 
he made the ceremony of the burial of his mother 
the occasion of great splendor, as well as solem- 
nity, a deviation from the prevailing quiet method, 
which struck his courtiers and fellow-citizens with 
equal wonder and astonishment, but which they 
appeared better satisfied to accept than to reject. 
And, as a consequence of their satisfaction, it 
soon became the habit of the people to honor the 
interment of the dead with ostentatious display, 
in accordance with ancient rites and ceremonies. 
Thus the example which he offered in his native 
province, being made the subject of general sur- 
prise and remark, was soon accepted by all the 
neighboring States, and eventually became the 
custom of the whole nation, with the exception of 
the more indigent classes, and has continued to 
be the practice up to the present time. 

Confucius, having gained considerable knowl- 
edge in regard to antiquities, and, having formed 
an extensive acquaintance with men, began to be 
accepted as a wise authority in regard to the past, 
and as such, ventured to communicate his opin- 
ions to the people. He advocated the necessity 
of ceremonial homage, and a manifestation of 
kindly respect for the departed, either in the 
dwelling-house of the mourners, or at the place of 
burial. From his recognition and recommenda- 
tion of this ancestral usage, sprang the anni- 
versary feasts which have ever since distinguished 
the Chinese as a nation. 

During the three years subsequent to the death 



Life of QonfuciuB. 15 

of his mother, he passed his time in close con- 
finement and solitude, and engaged in the pursuit 
of philosophic studies. While thus retired from 
the trials, troubles, and business cares, which had 
devolved upon him in his performance of public 
obligations, he is said to have thoroughly reflected 
upon the subject of moral precepts and princi- 
ples, tracing them to their source as divinely in- 
stituted, regarding them as exampled in nature, 
and inseparably associated therewith as the holy 
expression of the Omnific Being, whose wise pur- 
poses could only be known as deeply inlaid in the 
incessant activities and material evidences of out- 
ward existence. 

Feeling imbued with these opinions, and enter- 
taining a comprehensive sense of the duties and 
requirements which they indiscriminately impose 
upon all men ; and, being impressed with a con- 
viction of the necessity of aiding his countrymen 
to a more perfect knowledge of the " better way 
of life," he concluded to make them the unvary- 
ing rule and essential motive of all his actions ; 
and, as a consequence of such determination, his 
career was ever after marked by practical illus- 
trations of the ethical system of philosophy which 
he taught. 

At the present time all the kingdoms of the 
Chinese empire repose upon the rule of the em- 
peror. But, during the time of Confucius, every 
province was an independent State, being gov- 
erned by laws of its own choice, and by a prince 
of its own selection. Hence it not unfrequently 
happened that the imperial authority proved in- 
sufficient to keep them within the sphere of their 
allegiance, and to the performance of those mu- 
tual duties and obligations which the Republican 



10 Life of Confucius. 

State owes to the head of the nation. And more 
especially was this the case at the time of which 
we speak, owing to the existence of that luxuri- 
ousness of habit, love of pleasure., and general 
dissoluteness of manners, Yfhich prevailed in the 
several courts of the interior provinces. 

Confucius, being wisely persuaded that the peo- 
ple could never be happy so long as avarice, am- 
bition, voluptuousness, and false policy, reigned 
among them, resolved to advocate a rigid system 
of morality ; and, consequently, he commenced 
to instruct them in the noble precepts of philos- 
ophy which he so deeply cherished. He inspired 
his followers with a love for temperance, sobriety, 
justice, and other virtues, a contempt for riches 
and outward pomp, and induced them to fashion 
their lives to accord with a more acceptable mag- 
nanimity of mind. He everywhere objected to 
the practice of dissimulation and insincerity, and 
used all the means at his command to redeem his 
people from a life of pleasure and extremeisms. 
He was everywhere well received, and as univers- 
ally beloved. His extensive knowledge and great 
wisdom enabled him to cope with his adversaries, 
and his integrity, and the splendor of his virtues, 
secured him that acceptance and respect which he 
had little anticipated. Kings were governed by 
his counsel, and the people reverenced him as a 
saint. He was favored with several high offices 
in the magistracy of government, but never ac- 
cepted them from a motive of personal ambition 
or preferment, but always with a view of reform- 
ing a corrupt State, and amending the laws of his 
country, for the purpose of improving the condi- 
tion of its people ; a fact made doubly certain by 
his resignation of those offices as soon as he per- 



Life of Confucius. 17 

ceived that his service therein was no longer use- 
ful to them. He corrected many frauds and 
abuses in the mercantile trade, and reduced the 
weights and measures provided for the sale of the 
various products of the soil to a fixed and uniform 
standard. He inculcated fidelity and candor 
among men, as needful to all happy social rela- 
tions, and exhorted the women to chastity and 
simplicity of manners. By methods thus em- 
ployed, he succeeded in producing a general 
reformation, and establishing such concord and 
unanimity of feeling and opinion, that the people 
of the whole kingdom seemed imbued with a 
higher respect for just and noble principles. 

Some of the neighboring princes began to mani- 
fest symptoms of decided jealousy, believing that 
the emperor, under the counsels of such a man 
as Confucius, would soon render himself too pow- 
erful, as against the local interests of the magis- 
trates of the nation, and as a supporter of those 
radical improvements and changes in the laws of 
the land, which they regarded as obnoxious and 
insecure, and which they feared might be recom- 
mended and too hastily urged upon the people of 
the several States. Alarmed at this condition of 
affairs, and knowing that the sympathies of the king 
were confided to the decisions of Confucius, the 
governor of Tsi, being a man of artful political 
inclinations, and much opposed to progressive re- 
forms, resolved to assemble his ministers, and take 
into consideration the question of the important 
changes which were being effected throughout the 
country, and to thereby determine whether some 
measures might not be adopted to stay their 
progress. 

2 



18 Life of Confucius. 

The assembly was called, and after long and 
serious deliberation, resolved upon the following 
contemptible and debasing expedient, as the only 
means left them by which to thwart the continu- 
ally-increasing influence and power of the advanc- 
ing politico-moral philosophy : They employed 
the services of a large number of young and 
beautiful syrens, who had received instruction 
from their infancy in the arts of singing and 
dancing, and who were complete mistresses of all 
the charms and accomplishments which might at- 
tract attention and captivate the heart. Under 
the pretext of an embassy, these coquettish Chi- 
nese Bayaderes were presented to the king of Lu, 
and to the grandees of his court, and were re- 
ceived with marked favor and respect. The art- 
ful machinations conceived and projected in the 
council convened by Tsi, were thus early brought 
to public notice, and in a great measure succeeded 
in staying the advancement of those redemptory 
principles which were everywhere being accepted 
with such favor by the people. The duties per- 
taining to the administration of government were 
soon neglected, and little was thought of, with the 
exception of inventing additional pleasures, and 
means of entertaining fair strangers. In short, 
nothing was regarded, for some months, but feast- 
ing, dancing, and shows ; and the court of the 
kingdom of Lu became wholly involved in luxury 
and pleasure. 

Confucius had foreseen all this, and endeavored 
to thwart the accomplishment of so injurious an 
example, by advising the king to object to the in- 
auguration of so low and debasing a series of fes- 
tivities ; and he earnestly labored to expose the 
delusion which had been imposed upon him and 



Life of Confucius. 19 

his courtiers, and endeavored, by every honest 
means to bring thern back to the exercise of rea- 
son and their duty. But passion reigned trium- 
phant ; and all his efforts to redeem them from 
the mischief into which they had but too willingly 
fallen, proved wholly useless and ineffectual. The 
honor and severity of the philosopher were obliged 
to yield to the overbearing fashion of the court, 
controlled as it was by the unjust plans and con- 
nivance of the bitterest enemies of reform. Con- 
sidering his own safety and happiness, therefore, 
he immediately released himself from his employ- 
ment, and, leaving his native State, sought to find 
in other kingdoms, minds and dispositions better 
prepared to accept and advocate his moral doc- 
trines. 

He journeyed through the provinces of Lun, 
Guci, and Tson ; but meeting with unexpected dif- 
ficulties, and finding many obstacles in the way of 
his success, he realized the inability of man to 
hastily fashion the inclinations of a people to suit 
the better purposes of human life. As a natural 
consequence of the indifference manifested by many 
of the nobility, and the temporarily-increasing tend- 
ency in certain quarters to suppress the advance- 
ment of free thought and liberal principles, as 
well as the growing disposition to engage in de- 
structive pleasures and amusements, disruptions, 
rebellions, wars, and tumults, soon raged through- 
out the empire. 

Thus Confucius was made aware that, for a 
time, the propagation of his cherished philosophy 
would be attended with many trials and difficul- 
ties. Men gave themselves no time to listen to 
the teachings of their moral master or his follow- 
ers. Indeed, they had no preference for so doing, 



20 Life of Confucius. 

being rather inclined to worldly ambition, avarice, 
and corrupt manners. Hence he often met with 
ill-treatment, abuse, and reproachful language, at 
the hands of the populace, who were urged on in 
their malicious conduct, and evil purposes, by the 
ruling magistrates and the more immediate officers 
of their appointment. 

'To such an extent, at one time, were these in- 
trigues carried, that it is historically certain that 
very serious conspiracies were formed against his 
life ; to which may be added the fact that his de- 
terminate purpose to advocate the moral senti- 
ments which he deemed essential to the welfare of 
the people, and advance his principles of philoso- 
phy throughout the empire of his native continent, 
had necessitated unlooked-for expenditures ; and 
in the absence of a proper attention to his indi- 
vidual interests, he had become reduced to the ex- 
tremest poverty. Some philosophers among his 
cotemporaries were so affected by this terrible 
state of affairs, that they rusticated themselves 
into the mountains and deserts as the only places 
where they could secure pqace and happiness. 
Confucius was many times requested to follow 
their examnle, and retire from the confusion and 
insecurity which surrounded him. But, "lama 
man, said he, " and cannot exclude myself from the 
society of men, to consort with wild beasts. Bad 
as the times are, I shall do all I can to recall men 
to virtue ; for in virtue we may find safety and 
repose ; and if mankind would earnestly embrace 
it, and submit themselves to its disciplining influ- 
ence, they would need no instruction from me or 
any one else, to aid them in securing that hoped- 
for wisdom and felicity which cancels every mis- 
chief and misery in life." "It is the duty of 



Life of Confucius. 21 

every man," continued he, "first to perfect him- 
self, and then to aid in perfecting others. Human 
nature came to us as an unavoidable inheritance ; 
and it is only in the subjugation of our evil pas- 
sions and demoralizing propensities, that we are.; 
enabled to find that happy and harmonious condi- 
tion of life which we all so much desire to enjoy, 
and which is the only real security against social 
wrongs, personal injustice, or national distrust. | 
Love your neighbor as yourself. Let reason be 
the guide and rule of your conduct. Speak pru- 
dently, and behave worthily, upon all occasions, 
and let your example be so set before all men, 
that their approval of it may hold them to a love 
of its practical continuance ; and the cause of our 
despair and disagreement will be obliterated, while 
well-to-do inclinations and individual progress will 
mark our peace and prosperity, and guarantee us 
that satisfaction in the success of our teachings, 
which, in the present disordered social state, it is 
as impossible to secure as it is unwise to expect." 

Thus, although he had withdrawn himself from 
kings and palaces, he did not cease to travel about 
the country as a teacher and adviser of the peo- 
ple. His disciples were chiefly confined to the 
nobility, and the social circles of the educated 
and aristocratic, although he had numerous adher- 
ents among the lower classes. 

He is said to have had seven thousand disciples 
who were earnest advocates and exemplars of his 
moral doctrines ; and seventy-two of this number 
were distinguished above the rest by their superior 
attainments, while twelve were particularly noted 
for their comprehensive views and more perfect 
knowledge of all the details of his philosophy. 
He divided his disciples into four classes, who in- 



22 Life of Confucius. 

terested themselves — respectively in accordance 
with their capacity — in the propagation of the 
moral doctrines which he everywhere enunciated. 
The first class were advised to improve their minds 
by meditation, and purify their hearts by virtue, 
and thereby fashion a righteous example for the 
benefit of others. The second class were to cul- 
tivate the faculty of reason, making their lives 
conform to the decisions of logical inference, as 
presented in the practical requirements of life, 
and the arguments of elegant and persuasive dis- 
course. The study of the third class was to be 
confined to an understanding and explanation of 
the rules of good government, that the Mandarins 
might be instructed in the duties pertaining to 
public affairs, and fill their offices with trust and 
honor. The fourth class were concerned in the 
advocacy of the principles of morality, and their 
delivery to the common people in a concise and 
acceptable form. These were the zealous disci- 
ples, of the least number, who were regarded as 
the wise apostles of the Confucian school, and 
who linked their career in closest unity of purpose 
with that of its distinguished founder. 

Six hundred of his disciples were dispatched 
into various portions of the empire at different 
times, to reform the prevailing objectionable man- 
ners of the populace. And, not satisfied with 
benefiting his own country, he contemplated the 
propagation of his opinions in foreign lands ; but, 
owing to the difficulty of interpreting his thoughts 
into the language of other nations, his advancing 
years, and other timely reasons, these projected 
schemes seem to have ultimated in no practical 
benefit to himself or others, and were soon forgot- 
ten in view of the many duties which accumulated 



Life of Confucius. 28 

upon his hands, as the father of the most worthy 
and noted philosophy developed during the ear- 
lier periods of Chinese history, or ever known to 
mankind. 

The life of Confucius is marked by the purest 
practical habits, and nothing may be added to the 
just, moral principles "which he represented in his 
daily dealings with men. In his advocacy of 
" wise precepts," he seemed to speak rather as 
an exponent of a studied system of morality than 
as an inspired teacher or revelator; and, although 
his ideas of practical justice and morality were as 
pure and perfect as any that were ever uttered by 
the sages of the past, it is not our province to 
determine how far or how much of his teachings 
are to be regarded as intuitive, or attributable to 
" influx of thought " from interior or psychologic 
sources. In his rigorous abstemiousness, in his 
great sobriety and solemnity of manners, in his 
contempt of riches^ and what are commonly de- 
nominated the " goods of life," and in his con- 
tinual attention and watchfulness over his own 
actions and conduct, and, above all, in his exceed- 
ing humility, modesty, and courtesy, Confucius 
stands conspicuous as the unyielding moral phil- 
osopher who has no equal in the annals of na- 
tional history, and who is worthily entitled to the 
credit of being regarded as the most acceptable 
axiomatic teacher of wise opinions whom the 
world has ever known. 

In his life he was ever a sorrowing child of 
nature, and was frequently known to weep over 
the mistakes and follies of mankind. During the 
latter part of his earthly career, he became most 
deeply saddened and dejected, owing to the im- 
possibility of succeeding to the extent of his de- 



24 Life of Confucius. 

sire in arousing his countrymen from the immoral 
languor into which they had fallen as a result of 
unwise counsel, evil rulers, and the discords which 
then prevailed throughout the empire. 

A few days before his final illness, he remarked 
to his disciples, with tears in his eyes, that he 
was considerably unhappy in consequence of the 
disorders which existed in his native land. " The 
evidences," said he, V of my effort to remove the 
mischievous hindrances to human advancement 
and progress are little regarded, and the moral 
principles which w T e have labored so earnestly to 
make the aegis of social defense, and the standard of 
good government, are, for the time being, in a 
great measure placed under the ban of artful sur- 
veillance. The kings reject my maxims ; and 
since I am no longer useful to my kinsmen, I 
pray to be released from further, cares and trials. 
And as I feel my indebtedness to nature, I expe- 
rience no greater happiness than when contem- 
plating the prospect of my speedy release from 
the present solicitous condition of existence.' ' 

Confucius grew weaker day by day, until at 
length he completely failed of his bodily strength, 
and, becoming lethargic, slept himself into un- 
consciousness of outward life," dying in the year 
478 B. c.,- in the seventy-third year of his age. 

When Nagi-cong, who was then the ruling sov- 
ereign in the kingdom of La, first heard of his 
death, it is said that he could not restrain his 
inclination to w T eep. " The Tien is not satisfied 
with me," said he, " since it has taken away my 
Confucius/' Immediately after his demise, and 
surprising as it may appear in view of the demor- 
alization of his cotemporaries, Confucius began to 
be lamented, and his name, which was on every 



Life of Confucius. 25 

tongue, was adorned with golden commendation. 
Temples were soon built in the several provinces 
to accommodate the learned who gathered therein 
at stated seasons to pay him that homage which 
was justly due to his great wisdom and exceeding 
goodness. Upon many edifices raised to his 
honor in the empire are characteristic inscriptions 
in the symbols of the Chinese language, which 
are dedicatory, and signify, " To the Wise Teach- 
er," "To the Noble Sage," "To the Blessed 
Saint," "To the Tutor of Emperor and Kings," 
and " To the Honored Renderer of Moral Pre- 
cepts." His sepulcher was raised near the city of 
Keo-fou, on the banks of the river Su, where his 
inclinations led him to assemble his disciples 
many times during the period of his life, for the 
purpose of deliberation, consultation, and the 
furtherance of that good work which had engaged 
his undivided attention for so many years. 

Confucius was a reformer of the most positive 
school ; and his system of philosophy is the most 
deeply imbedded in, as well as the most faithful 
expression of, the Chinese mind. His great am- 
bition was confined to the re-establishment of the 
religion of his ancestors, which he regarded as 
pure and exemplary ; and in this opinion he was 
well sustained by the evidences which had been 
transmitted through many generations, from the 
time of the monarchial reign of Hoang-ti, up- 
ward of two thousand years before the Christian 
era. 

His teachings are justly entitled to the merit 
of being considered as compounded of worthy 
religious sentiments and well-organized philosoph- 
ical considerations, including a vein of spiritual 
thought as based upon logical deductions and in- 



26 Life of Confucius. 

ference, presented in the Jan-za of nature. 
His system was more confined to social and polit- 
ical interests and requirements, and to the imme- 
diate wants and needs of his people and his 
country, than to the inculcation of the theological 
tenets. In fact, his belief concerning the future 
life and the demands of the spiritual part of man, 
were questions more regarded as a matter for pri- 
vate reflection and the decisions of individual 
judgment, than as subjects of special and of ma- 
lignant debate. He attached no personality to 
Deity as disconnected with the manifestations of 
nature, and in his effort to fathom the mysteries 
associated with the existence of God, he resolved 
to consider the subject of his being as inscrutible 
as it was infallible. The all-pervading element of 
divine life, which was the cause of the ever-pres- 
ent law, order, and intelligence, displayed in the 
creations of the outward world, was denominated 
Shang-te, which literally signifies the essence, 
or, in other words, the Spirit of Omnipotence, as 
conditioned in, and exhibited through, the instru- 
mentality of the material elements and compounds 
of the visible universe ; and the Tien, or firmament, 
was supposed to be the external emblem or coun- 
terpart of his being. 

Confucius employed language which would 
seem to imply that Shang-te possessed a majestic 
intelligence, and exercised a noble authority in 
his government ; and he is represented as impos- 
ing a corrective influence, which some have inter- 
preted to signify direct punishment for evil-doing, 
but which, taking the common explanation of the 
best educated Chinese scholars, is rendered in a 
very different sense, and would involve redemption 
through the trials, tribulations, and lessons of life. 



Life of Confucius. 27 

His thoughts were confined to an indefinite con- 
ception of man's immortality ; and while he be- 
lieved in the existence of angels or intercessory 
spirits, his knowledge of the real relation of the 
interior to the external world, seems to have been 
limited or obscured by his greater attention to that 
philosophy or system of moral teachings, which 
he regarded as more directly essential or applica- 
ble to the demands of human life. He recognized 
the future, not as demanding our fear or humilia- 
tion, but rather our love and reverence ; and our 
transmundane interests he held as strictly condi- 
tioned in immortal success, or that life which was 
hoped for, or presumed to be held in abeyance of 
divine purpose. 

Confucius may only be considered as a wise 
moralist, who was ever inclined to be just : 'and to 
represent that fullness of manly habit which is 
seldom a characteristic of men. Unlike Christ or 
the apostles, he entrenched himself in the deep 
channels of Nature's outward demands, in the ad- 
vocacy of needed reforms, rather than appeal to 
the spiritual or future interests of the soul, as a 
source of human improvement. The abstract idea, 
which formerly found a prominent place in human 
belief, of a creation organized out of nothing, by 
an infinite and eternal Being, with the object, that 
his greatness and glory might be seen and known, 
in the magnificence of all eternal symbols, by those 
intelligent creatures whom in his condescension he 
had deigned to create, is unknown to the Con- 
fucian system of ethical doctrines. He considered 
nature as a self-poised, self-sustaining mechanism, 
stupendous in its interests, and perfect in its de- 
sign for the accomplishment of those ultimate ends 
intended in its organic construction. He had in- 



28 Life of Confucius. 

dulbitable confidence in Nature, and believed that 
the existence of all things was secured in a flux 
and reflux of form from all eternity, and were 
fashioned by laws permanently adherent in matter, 
or indissolubly associated therewith. 

Thus it was his penchant to regard nature as well 
worthy of sincere and conscientious thought, and 
its invisible Author as a pervading element of 
life, existing in all objects to the desirable end of 
those diversified relations which are everywhere 
manifest to the observant senses. Those idealistic 
considerations which are so characteristic of minds 
particularly imbued with spiritual comprehension, 
were either less prominently marked as a peculi- 
arity of his mental organization; or else as a con- 
sequence of the multiplied demands made upon 
his time, as an exponent of moral principles, he 
hedged in those thoughts which are wont to wan- 
der through eternity, and, repudiating all specula- 
tive opinions, confined himself more strictly to the 
establishment of those axiomatic rules, which are 
the foundation of his ever-practical philosophy. 

His chief labor was given to an effort to call the 
minds of men to an improved condition of social 
and political life. " I teach you," said Confucius, 
" only those things which with diligence you might 
learn yourselves ; the recognition of the three fun- 
damental laws of relation between subject and sov- 
ereign, father and child, husband and wife ; and 
the five capital virtues — universal charity, impar- 
tial justice, conformity to ceremonies and estab- 
lished usages, rectitude of heart and mind, and 
pure sincerity." 

The Confucian system of moral edicts required 
a strict observance of appointed obligations, and a 
cultivation of kindly sympathies and sentiments. 



Life of Confucius. 20 

The great virtues of charity, justice, and sincerity, 
were regarded as the only needful religion, secur- 
ing to the individual, peace, contentment, and hap- 
piness, upon earth, and safety from harmful mo- 
lestation in the life of the future. 

Instead of entertaining objections to spiritual 
faith and discipline, as modernly understood, and 
as has been asserted by one of his biographers, if 
not more, the probabilities are that in the absence 
of all knowledge of Christianity, which in truth 
had no existence until five hundred years subse- 
quent to the time of Confucius, he taught the most 
perfect system of philosophy which his understand- 
ing enabled him to present, as a comprehensive 
observer of men and nature, unprovided with mod- 
ern experience or scientific aids. And while his 
moral teachings may not, as they do not in the 
opinion of many, reach the wants and demands of 
our present spiritual condition, we are quite cer- 
tain that, as a golden opportunity, the axiomatic 
school of Confucian precepts furnishes an incen- 
tive to the promotion of every desirable good in 
human character, and leaves but little room for 
the qualification of those privileges which apper- 
tain to the pursuit of a just and noble life. 

" Just as I am compelled to accept the mani- 
festations and phenomena of the universe as sub- 
stantial facts, although I am incompetent to fathom 
the mystery of their origin ; so am I obliged to 
observe and receive the phenomena of mind in the 
same light of consideration. We find good and 
evil, wisdom and ignorance, not only in contrast 
as between man and man, but as well in our indi- 
vidual characters ; the same man is both good and 
bad, wise and unwise. It is impossible to avoid 
these distinctions. The principle of righteousness 



SO w*' Life of Confucius. 

is infiltrated in all nature, and we are forced to 
recognize it as a paramount and redemptory power. 
The all-abounding laws of creation, concerning 
which we know but little more than that they are 
realities, are governed by its influence, and yield 
to its control, It is unsafe to entertain mean or 
deceitful thoughts ; for when we offend our own 
honor, or deride our own consciences, we immolate 
our better conceptions of goodness^ justice, and 
truth." 

Confucius inculcated simple, yet comprehensive 
rules of life, making them alike applicable to pri- 
vate, as to public requirements. "Let all men," 
said he, "fashion their lives to accord with the 
sacred maxims, and make them applicable to the 
domestic circles wherein they are the responsible 
advisers ; and let them render to the imperial sov- 
ereign, who acts as the father of his people, that 
filial recognition and obedience which is privately 
demanded by them of their children. We should 
love, abide by, and honor, the emperor, as it is 
his custom to love, respect, and venerate, his an- 
cestors ; for, by so doing, we are assured of inter- 
nal peace, social order, and national tranquillity." 

Confucius advocated and favored a system of 
general education ; and as a result of plans and 
measures instituted under his counsel, self-sup- 
porting schools were organized throughout the 
limits of the empire, wherein the moral max- 
ims of the philosopher were taught, and are still 
imparted as needful to the success of good gov- 
ernment and human happiness. 

Confucianism appeals to "practical men." It 
indorses and esteems those virtues which are be- 
coming in the habits and manners of all citizens. 
It lauds industry, sobriety, gentlemanly decorum, 



Life of Confucius. 31 

and thoughtfulness. It recognizes toleration of 
religious opinions, and counsels men to engage in 
religious service as established from time imme- 
morial, and as a source of piety and respect to 
the Divine Being. It teaches the existence of 
genii, or spirits, and recommends sacrificial regard 
to their interest ; as to worship them is demanded, 
as part of a needful solemnization, bearing on our 
existence as inheritors of eternal life. 

Soon after the death of Confucius, his philos- 
ophy was adopted as the State religion, and his 
maxims were gradually incorporated into the laws 
of his native land. The entire literary class in 
China soon accepted his system, and interested 
themselves in the propagation of the principles 
which he taught. He did not trust altogether to 
the memory of his followers for the preservation 
of his doctrines, but became the author of several 
books, which were greatly admired by his country- 
men for the fine moral sentiments which they con- 
tained, and which their author, from motives of 
modesty, was disinclined to receive any credit for. 
He very ingeniously avoided accepting the merit 
of the authorship of the precepts which he taught, 
by saying that they were of ancient origin, and 
that he had done nothing more than to collect 
them from the wise translators, Yao and Chun, 
who lived fifteen hundred years before his time. 

The number of classical or canonical books 
which he composed, is five ; and they are held in 
the highest esteem, as containing a wise compila- 
tion of ancient laws, manners, customs, and prac- 
tices,, and are looked upon as the most perfect 
rule of government. The first is called the Tih- 
king, and is a treatise on ethics. The second is 
the Shu-king, and consists of a history of the 



32 Life of Confucius, 

deliberations, or advisory councils, which occurred 
between Ya-ou, Shun, and other personages, who 
were the ancient kings of the empire, and whose 
maxims and actions were regarded with sincere 
veneration. The third canonical book, termed 
the Shi-king, consists of a compilation of three 
hundred and eleven sacred songs or poems, which 
are committed to memory by the Chinese, and re- 
peated on sundry occasions, The Le-king, or 
Book of Rites, is the foundation of Chinese man- 
ners, prescribing ail the ceremonies to be observed 
in the various relationships of life, reflecting upon 
the cause of the security and stability of Chinese 
habits, and the permanency of their government. 
The Chun-tseen is a historical work confined to a 
narration of events which occurred during his 
own time, and those immediately preceding him. 

Among other books written or compiled by 
himself and his disciples, may be mentioned the 
Ta-heo, or Great Study, a political work ; the 
Shung-yung, or " The Invariable in the Mean," 
a book devoted to teaching what is considered as 
the " due medium," or " golden mean " in human 
actions and conduct; the Tun-yu, or " Philosoph- 
ical Dialogues," containing the recorded conver- 
sations of Confucius ; and the Hi-tse, composed 
by Ming-tsi, who died 817 years before Christ, 
and who was a wise advocate of Confucianism. 
The object of this work was to inculcate the 
principles of philanthropic government. 

To the works already mentioned we may also 
add, the Hiao-king, or book containing admoni- 
tions in regard to filial reverence, and the replies 
of Confucius, made in answer to the questions of 
his disciple Tseng, on the subject of those duties 
which appertain to a just regard by the young for 



Life of Confucius. 83 

the counsels of parents ; and the Sias-hio, a work 
devoted to the interests of youthful education in 
morals. 

The Confucian school of philosophy was orig- 
inally planted in the minds of the aristocratic and 
educated classes of the Chinese Empire ; and its 
author, unlike all other reformers, labored to im- 
bed his sentiments in the super-stratums of society. 
And while his success in this particular is as note- 
worthy as it is wondrous, we cannot say of him 
as of others, that he rose from poverty and obscu- 
rity, making his reputation wholly on the merit of 
the possession of marvelous talents. For although 
his teachings may be received as a well-chosen 
guide for all men, and his system of philosophy 
as of the most unconstrained and practical kind, 
the fact of his origin, as being in the line of the 
nobility of his country, and holding eminent wealth 
at his command, while it might not detract from 
the value of the maxims which he delivered to his 
people, must necessarily dispossess him of that 
high privilege of renown which would have at- 
tached to his name had his efforts rested on the 
basis of menial domestic relations, purity, and 
extraordinary mental ability. 

Confucius cannot be said to have taught the 
lesson of spirituality in human life, although 
it is evident that he recognized the existence of 
both good and mischievous spirit-beings, as did 
his ancestors ; but he refused to countenance 
their delivery to mankind as familiar messengers, 
and only referred to them in the most reserved 
manner. The questions which most interested 
him, and to which he gave the most of his atten- 
tion, were, " How shall I do my duty to my neigh- 



34 Life of Confucius. 

bor" and "How can I best discharge the duty of 
a virtuous citizen." The subject of the future 
life was ever hidden in the solemn silence of his 
own reflections, and, as he thought, was only to 
be made practical in the great awarding kingdom 
of Shang-te. 

His motives were pure, and his habits were 
just. He loved to contemplate the principle of 
goodness as associated with, and reserved to, the 
practical use of all men. If he possessed any 
fault which we may discover, or if there is any 
marked defect in his system of philosophy, it is 
to be placed to the account of a forgetfulness, or 
want of knowledge, that all nature is plunged 
into opposite extremes as a means of self-correc- 
tion, or cause of justice. 

In his reasoning, he was the " plain man," 
who never hoodwinked his opinions, but against 
his worldly interests, engaged in fearless trials 
against a contending opposition to the interests of 
his Ma-da-un * philosophy. 

Confucius was beloved and bemoaned by his 
countrymen, and probably he has left a more last- 
ing impression upon the minds of a greater num- 
ber of his race, if not of the human family, as a 
man or representative teacher of worthy morality, 
than any person who ever lived, or whose name 
has been handed down to us from the periods of 
the past. His name is blazoned in the public 
marts, on the banners of the self-supporting 
schools, founded and perpetuated on his recom- 
mendation, on the altars where the nobility and 
common people meet to worship, "in the love of 
justice," and on the monuments raised to his 
memory in all portions of the empire. 

* Amply genial. 



Life of Gonfucius. 35 

A good example for all men, is justly entitled 
to the patronage of all men. In his privilege of 
life, he was upright, and serenely blessed. No 
person has ever presented a nobler record to the 
world, or any more justly entitled to universal 
confidence. In his daily trials in life, he soberly 
met all human abuse with patience, forbearance, 
and fortitude. When in his final sorrows and 
sufferings, he had attained the summit of the 
high mountain of life, and could look down upon 
the jargon and contention existing among men, 
his highest ambition was still engrossed in a love 
of well-doing, and in thinking that he might still 
be of service to his people ; but nearing the ter- 
mination of his outward career, and feeling his 
pulse growing weaker as his end drew nearer, he 
rose upon his pillow in the final dream of mind, 
and said, " Who shall follow to support my 
cause ?" When closing his eyes in unconsciousness 
of all outward things, and ceasing to breathe, he 
was attended by the "immortals," who conveyed 
him onward to the next scene of his labors, in 
the spirit-nation of Mongolians, in the Jung-gee 
of the immortal world. 



CONFUCIAN 

MORAL PRECEPTS. 



The best method of obtaining intelligence con- 
sists in an orderly cultivation of reason and mem- 
ory, and the acquisition of a knowledge of things 
rather than of words, by unceasing industry and 
perseverance. 



When once the mind is thus fixed upon medita- 
tion, and yields to a desire for learning, it should 
reflect concerning those things which pertain to 
the self-hood of man, or to self-investigation. We 
should endeavor to obtain some definite idea of 
ourselves, and should observe with earnestness 
whatever is presented for our consideration ; we 
should examine everything with care, and weigh 
all things in the balance of reason, then in con- 
formity to a wise decision of mind, we may 
arrive at the " golden mean" in all our acts 
in life. 

3. 

For the improvement of the family circle the 
parents should take essential care to properly 



Confucian Precepts. 37 

qualify themselves in their habits and manners, 
and so harmonize their words and actions, as to 
neither offend good sense, or worthy complai- 
sance. Neither should they in any way allow 
themselves to become inedifying in the presence 
of their children or domestics. In order to 
attain to this exemplary condition of perfection, 
we must strive to purify our thoughts, subdu- 
ing our passions and unholy inclinations ; and en- 
deavor to fashion our conduct in the avoidance 
of contention, vice, misery, mischief, and crime. 



To entertain feelings of distrust, love, or aver- 
sity ; to will, desire, or admire ; we must necessa- 
rily abide by the knowledge which we profess ; 
and our impulses, whatever they may be, are 
sure to be characterized by the quality and 
amount of intelligence which we possess. 



It is not to be expected that those who know 
not how to govern themselves, or subdue their 
own passions, can rightly direct, reform, or gov- 
ern, others. And it is only those who most 
struggle for individual improvement that are 
likely to succeed in accomplishing so desira- 
ble a purpose, or who may be depended upon 
by others in the attainment of that " better con- 
dition," which in our moments of sober reflection 
we all yearn to enjoy. 

6. 

When we observe a worthy action in another, 
we should not hesitate to make it our example, 
or abide by it in practice. 



38 Confucian Precepts. 

7. 

When an opportunity presents itself for well- 
doing, be earnest in taking immediate advantage 
of it. 

8. 

Stay not thy endeavor to suppress or extirpate 
vice. Always regard your own conduct with dis- 
cernment and discretion, and keep a vigilant 
watchfulness over all personal motives, actions, 
and habits. 

9. 

Whatsoever is beneficial or honorable, is neces- 
sarily advisable ; and, as virtue includes both of 
these qualities, we are obligated in its admiration. 

10. 

To enjoy and practice virtue in all our actions 
in life, is to ornament and embellish our manhood 
and womanhood with the most desirable qualifica- 
tions. 

11. 

To the mind, virtue communicates inexpressible 
beauty and perfection ; to the body, it guarantees 
health, a desirable form, and attractive features. 
Virtue tranquilizes the heart, and makes ample 
peace within. It produces a silent, secret joy, 
calmness and serenity of mind, with an agreeable 
and kindly appearance which wins the affection 
of acquaintances, and secures the esteem of the 
world. 



Confucian Precepts. 39 

12. 

The principal occupation of the mind should be 
confined to self-investigation and correction. We 
should endeavor to calm our passions, and hold 
them under the control of reason. If we suffer 
ourselves to become angry for some trifling cause, 
or manifest impetuosity of disposition, we may 
readily conclude that our condition is defective, 
and that our standard of rectitude is still imper- 
fect. 

13. 

If we look upon a person as unworthy of our 
respect, owing to the manifestation of his defects, 
and neglect to render justice to his better quali- 
ties ; if we abandon ourselves to immoderate 
joy, or submit to be overcome with excessive fear 
or sorrow; it is justly to be concluded that we 
have not yet attained to that state of personal 
rectitude, or disposed harmony of mind, which 
is so much to be desired, and which is the true 
foundation of all human happiness. 

14. 

Let us observe moderation in all things, and 
hold our passions in abeyance of reasonable re- 
flection. 

15. 

Let us not blindly yield ourselves to impatience, 
hastiness, or impetuosity ; but reserve our habits 
and manners to that even-minded way, which is 
both harmless and acceptable to others, and agree- 
able to ourselves. 



40 Confucian Precepts. 

16. 

Parents should love each other, and should be 
governed in their amity by worthy decisions of 
mind, making their lives conform to evenness and 
regularity of design. 

IT. 

A son may justly love a father ; but, when the 
father is guilty of the perpetration of any great 
wrong, or is actuated by unrighteous motives in 
the pursuit of life, the son should not doubt the 
propriety of properly remonstrating with his pa- 
rent, or of acquainting him of his knowledge of 
the fact, and of advising and counseling him to 
accept the more commendable way. On the other 
hand, if a son is inclined to vicious habits, it is 
the duty of the father to advise and direct him in 
all matters wherein he is likely to be improved or 
benefited. 

18. 

A wise man will always consider his own defects, 
and diligently labor to remove them. 

19. 

It is well to conform to the manner and temper 
of others, only so far as the needful purposes of 
life are concerned, in our daily dealings and so- 
cial relations with men. Beyond this we should 
reserve to ourselves that individual identity of 
character which is wisely appointed to be our own, 



Confucian Precepts. 41 

20. 

We should never allow ourselves to become cor- 
rupted by frivolous conversation, or the example 
of careless and corrupt persons. 

21. 

"We should never obey the commands of others, 
or imitate them, without mature reflection. 

22. 

In our needful association and intercourse with 
those numerous persons who so unwisely deviate 
from a worthy standard of moral rectitude, it is 
better that we turn neither to the right nor left, 
but follow that "'even way" which parries all 
molestation, and wins all human sympathy. 

23. 

If a worthy person is chosen to fill some high 
office in the gift of a people, in a country where 
virtue is little regarded, and he still continues to 
cling to his love of morality, or should he preserve 
all those good habits which characterized his lifa 
as a private citizen, refusing to submit to the in- 
fluence of pride and vanity, then he may be re- 
garded as a man justly entitled to individual 
respect and national honor. 

24. 

There are some persons so egotistical in their 
inclinations as to affect the possession of extraor- 
dinary virtue. They pride themselves on the as- 
sumption of marvelous goodness, and assume 



42 Confucian Precepts. 

great complaisance in all their actions. " I shall 
never be enamored with these glittering appear- 
ances," says Confucius, " where vanity and self- 
love have a more marked manifestation than even 
virtue itself. I would only know and make prac- 
tical that which it is necessary to know and make 
practical, as appointed in the demands of every- 
day life." 

25. ' 

There are four general rules, in accordance with 
the requirements of which a good man should ad- 
just his life: 

26. 

First, he should regard his father in the same 
light of "wise intention," in the reception and 
impartation of kindly advice and counsel, as he 
would his son. 

2T. 

Second, when serving the interests of the State, 
he should manifest the sar^e fidelity which he re- 
quires of those who serve under him. 

28. 

Third, It is his duty to love and respect his 
elder brother, in the same manner as he would ex- 
pect his younger brother to do toward himself. 

29. 

Fourth, He should at all times love and re- 
spect hk friends and acquaintances, as he would 
have them love and respect him. 



Confucian Precepts. 43 

30. 

The good, wise, and thoughtful man, always ac- 
quits himself of these duties with earnestness and 
fidelity, however ordinary or unseemly they may 
appear. If he becomes conscious of wrong-doing 7 
or perceives that he has wandered from the " bet- 
ter way," he rests not easy in his own mind, 
until he has discerned the cause of his mistake, 
and made his fault the subject of correction. If 
he discovers that he has neglected an important 
duty, he will spare no effort or labor which would 
cancel his neglect, or accomplish the original pur- 
pose, which through carelessness or inadvertancy 
was omitted. He is moderate and reserved in his 
conversation, and circumspect in his manners. 
If he feels too great an inclination to social 
converse, or realizes that he is more affluent of 
words and ideas than those with whom he speaks, 
he wisely restrains himself to the limit of needful 
remark. He is so rigorous a censor of himself, that 
he at all times endeavors to make his words and 
his actions correspond. To attain to this condi- 
tion of individual per^ction requires devotional 
attention to personal habits and virtue. 

31. 

That love which is requisite for all men to pos- 
sess, is compounded in our natures, and prompts 
us alike to filial, parental, and universal, respect 
for humankind. Our first duty is to love our par- 
ents. This filial obedience nurtures our regard 
for, and prompts us to the practical acceptance of, 
that universal esteem which has for its object the 
entire human family. From universal love comes 
distributive justice, which prompts us to regard 



44 Qonfueian Precepts. 

all men in the light of "wise understanding/' 
and to render unto all ivhat is justly their due. 



The difference which exists between the love 
which we experience toward our parents, and that 
which we feel toward others ; the difference be- 
tween our regard for the good, the learned, and 
the wise, and those who are ignorant, impetuous, 
and degraded in life ; should be considered in the 
light of justice, and characterized by a worthy 
moderation in our likes and dislikes. 



33. 

We shall be unable to conform to the necessary 
rules of life, if we neglect the three pre-eminent 
virtues : prudence in reflection, which enables us 
to distinguish between good and bad ; universal 
love, w T hich has regard for the natural rights and 
interests of all men ; and that firm resolution of 
mind which prompts us to persevere in our ad- 
herence to virtue and objections to vice. 



34. 

Some persons imagine that they are not capable of 
acquiring virtue, neither of making morality prac- 
ticable to themselves, whereas it is quite certain 
that these qualities are attainable by all. And 
no person who earnestly seeks them, need be de- 
prived of the blessings which they confer. In- 
deed, it is the impotence and inadvertancy of men 
which causes them to neglect these interests, or 
the acquisition of manly habits. 



Confucian Precepts, 45 

35. 

However stupid the individual, or however much 
wanting in experience, if there exists a desire to 
learn, and perseverance in study is not attended 
with weariness or reluctance, the probability is 
that the person is not far from a w r orthy prudence 
in reflection, or success in the exercise of a wise 
judgment. 

36. 

If a man, although imbued with strong feelings 
of self-love, still earnestly endeavors to perform 
good actions, and acquits himself in justice before 
men, it may be inferred that he has in a measure 
already secured the development of that principle 
of " universal love " within himself, which will in- 
duce him to follow the precepts of wisdom in well- 
doing. 

37. 

If a man feels the sting of shame when he listens 
to impure and uncivil conversation, or feels im- 
pelled to withdraw from the presence of persons 
of rude and unpolished manners, it may be safely 
concluded that he is not far from that condition 
or resolution of mind which unreservedly indorses 
goodness, and as strongly objects to vice. 

38. 

When a person has deviated from the path of 
integrity or uprightness, it should be his constant 
effort to restore to himself that confidence which 
he has lost in the principles of goodness and 
honor ; by so doing, and by making just atone- 



46 Confucian Precepts. 

ment through suffering and industry, he will inva- 
riably release himself from further inclination in 
the pursuit of wrong-doing, and rise to a desira- 
ble condition in the practice of virtue. 

39. 

It is most essential that we examine all things 
with a view to an exact analysis of their proper- 
ties, qualities, appearances, and effects, for the 
reason that among those things which are claimed 
to be known, there are many concerning which 
the question ever arises as to whether they are 
perfectly known or not. Hence it becomes neces- 
sary to examine them, and to weigh them carefully 
in the light of every attendant circumstance, as 
well as to consult the opinion of wise and expe- 
rienced men thereon. 

40. 

Notwithstanding it may appear that we clearly 
understand certain things, including our own na- 
tures, still it is evident from the many mistakes 
which we make, and our numerous transgressions 
in life, that as individuals we are sadly imperfect, 
and need to keep a constant vigilance over our 
own acts. We should meditate not only concern- 
ing our own condition, but as well in relation to 
all surrounding objects and circumstances, being 
ever watchful and attentive in spirit to the utmost 
extent whereof we are capable. 

41. 

We should endeavor to apprehend things aright, 
reflecting with clearness and precision upon all 



Confucian Precepts. 47 

occasions, to the end that we may avoid all seri- 
ous mistakes in our decisions of mind, concerning 
good and bad, the true and the false, 

42. 

When once we have arrived at a just conclusion, 
it is our duty to make our acts conform thereunto, 
and earnestly, as well as unceasingly, endeavor to 
execute, to the fullest extent of our ability, the 
good resolution thus decided upon. 

43. 

If we undertake to perform a duty for another, 
we should engage in it with the same determina- 
tion and fidelity of purpose as if we were laboring 
in our own service. 

44. 

When visiting with friends, or when in company 
with worthy associates, regard them with marked 
sincerity, and be not too reserved in your manifes- 
tation of kindness and esteem. 



45. 

When a man is poor in purse, yet undiminished 
in honor, or when a man is rich, yet humble, not- 
withstanding he may be praise-worthy for the 
rectitude which he manifests, still we cannot say 
that he has attained the highest degree of vir- 
tue, until he becomes absolved from all feelings 
of impetuosity, cherishing neither hate, fear, mal- 
ice, nor revenge. 



48 Confucian Precepts. 

46. 

He that is poor should be contented even in the 
midst of his poverty. He that is rich should be 
ever charitable, and mindful of well-doing. The 
penurious and abject spirit does good only to cer- 
tain persons, gratifies certain exclusive friendships. 
Such dispense their means only with a view to 
reaping a reward in material gain ; their objects 
are essentially selfish. Whereas the good man is 
actuated by generous motives, and qualifies his 
dealings with men by the light of that wisdom and 
universal love which holds for its object the inter- 
ests of all mankind. 

47. 

We should be ever courteous and kind, even to 
those who offend us, and especially when they ex- 
hibit signs of sincere repentance. We should re- 
gard them as if they were innocent of any offense ; 
and, forgetting their imperfections, endeavor, by 
rendering them aid and encouragement, to prompt 
them to the pursuit of virtue. 

48. 

Bemoan not the departed with excessive grief. 
Not to restrain thy sorrow, is to abandon all re- 
flection, and become lost to a worthy decision of 
mind. 

49. 

The wise man never allows himself to be wholly 
overcome with despair. He rather considers it a 
weakness than otherwise to yield to immoderate 
despondency. 



Confucian Precepts. 49 

50. 

The good man never injures himself or others, 
neither does he lack courage in any emergency. 
He contemns injuries, gives no credence to re- 
proachful insinuations, and ever refuses to listen 
to ill reports. 

51. 

Punishment of crime should neither be too se- 
vere nor too common ; if magistrates were good 
men, and if none other were promoted to the 
dignity of such offices, the common people would 
reserve themselves to virtuous habits with greater 
tenacity, because the government of the good and 
wise is what all men naturally desire ; and when 
we secure the rule of just and competent persons, 
officers w 7 hom all can respect and esteem, we are 
more willing to abide by approved principles, and 
in our love of life conform to public approbation. 

52. 

Hypocrites, or those who profess one thing and 
practice another, may be compared to professional 
villains, who, in order to hide their intentions, 
render themselves wise, and manifest great suav- 
ity of manner and disposition during the day, that 
they may the more effectually conceal the infamy 
of those crimes which they perpetrate during the 
night. 

53. 

Persons who yield to an abuse of their appe- 
tites, and constantly indulge in luxurious habits, 
4 



50 Confucian Precepts. 

are unworthy of a rank among men, and are justly 
entitled to be called " slaves of the passions/' and 
" men of brutish inclinations." 

51. 

Ever make the example of the wise thy hope. 
Never allow thyself to become discouraged. 
Though thy task become laborious and difficult, 
still continue to persevere. If you fail to accom- 
plish the desirable object sought for, remember 
that you have the recompense of a consciousness 
of having made a commendable effort. 

55. 

That virtue which is attended with no serious- 
ness, is little respected among men. 

56. 

It is our duty to constantly bear in mind the 
important fact that we are frail, and are easily 
led from the path of duty. Hence, should it be 
our misfortune to overstep the bounds of propri- 
ety, or wander from the righteous way, we should 
not be too much disheartened, but endeavor to 
rise again above the mischief into which we have 
fallen, and secure ourselves from further offend- 
ing against our individual peace and happiness. 

57. 

Make all thy promises in justice, and with a 
due regard to their fulfillment ; for when we have 
committed ourselves to any agreement, it is as un- 
safe as it is ungenerous, to neglect our duty, or 
retract our word. 



Confucian Precepts. 51 

58. 

In conferring homage upon any person, be not 
overgenerous in its bestowal, 

59. 

There is stupidity and negligence in too little 
suavity, and a want of generosity in not properly 
regarding those persons unto whom we are in- 
debted for either money or favors. To overdo 
modesty, condescension, or suavity, is equally as 
great a fault, and involves our manhood or wo- 
manhood in ignorance, hypocrisy, conceit, and 
pride. 

60. 

Make eating and drinking a consideration in 
health and comfort, and not a pleasurable gratifi- 
cation, to become the master of all rational con- 
clusions. 

61. 

Love, temperance, sobriety, and justice. Let 
your thoughts become purified, and your actions 
will inevitably correspond therewith. 

62. 

The attainment of wisdom is the sure guarantee 
to all desirable pleasure and happiness ; and the 
wise man may find abundant enjoyment in the 
midst of difficulties and severities. 

63. 

Those who are studious simply in the reading of 
books, devoting their time in a great measure to 



52 Confucian Precepts. 

labor and exercise, while neglecting meditation, 
engage in an unpaying literary pursuit, which 
adds but little to individual knowledge, and sel- 
dom improves the man ; while those who are wholly 
absorbed in meditation, neglecting all exercise, 
wander and lose themselves in thought, beyond 
the bound of all proper restraint. The first sel- 
dom arrive at any exact conclusions, their opin- 
ions being always confounded by doubts and ob- 
scurities ; while the latter continually pursue the 
shadows of mind, live in the regions of fancy, and 
seldom base their knowledge upon anything solid 
or substantial. It is well to be industrious, but 
we should never slight meditation. It is desirable 
to meditate, but let us not neglect the perform- 
ance of a needful portion of labor. 

64. 

When any evil exists, and we can discover no 
remedy for its cure, the better w r ay is to patiently 
wait for that correction which time affords. If 
through remonstrances, counsel, and earnest effort, 
we could succeed in removing it, silence or per- 
sonal indifference would prove self-abasing. Yet 
there is nothing more undesirable than the impart- 
ation of that advise by which no one is benefited, 

65. 

Indigence and the miseries of life are unpleas- 
ant to endure, but the querulous and the ignorant 
only resent them and curse Nature for their ex- 
istence. The wise and the thoughtful only regard 
Nature as just, and our punishments at her hands 
qiuite as needful as they are inevitable. The vir- 



Confucian Precepts. 53 

tuous man is seldom dissatisfied. His mind com- 
pels his spirit to repose in quiet. He allows noth- 
ing to disturb his equanimity. His reward is 
goodness ; the practice of a worthy example, his 
only recompense. 

66. 

A wise man is always enabled to make a proper 
choice, as between right and wrong. He may 
love or distrust with reason, and ever secure a 
knowledge of justice without discomposure of 
mind. 

67. 

He who makes virtue practical in life, never 
yields to the committal of any act unbecoming a 
man, or contrary to the decisions of right reason. 

68. 

Honor and riches are desirable. Nearly all 
men seek to possess them. But should we dis- 
cover that honor is impugned or overdone by the 
possession of wealth, or that riches lead us from 
the path of rectitude, we should make it our duty 
to reserve ourselves from their influence, espe- 
cially wherein they tend to molest us in the pur- 
suit of well-doing, or hamper our happiness in 
life. 

69. 

He who taints his mischievous habits with pride 
and conceit, and is neither frugal nor careful with 
Ms means, is seldom disposed for the study of 
wisdom. Sociable familiarity with such persons 
is not to be commended. 



54 Confucian Precepts. 

70. 

Feel not afflicted because thou art not promoted 
to grandeur and public dignities. It were better 
to grieve that thou art lacking those virtues which 
might render thee worthy of being advanced. 

71. 

The good man devotes his life to the practice of 
virtue; the bad man neglects its pursuit in his 
struggle for wealth. The first cherishes a love 
for goodness, admires w T isdom, and contemplates 
the public welfare. The latter is absorbed with 
local and selfish cares, and thinks only concerning 
those matters which pertain to his selfish interests. 

72. 

The good man no sooner observes a person of 
wise inclinations than he endeavors to imitate his 
worthy example. 

73. 

When a good man observes a person of vicious 
habits, he wisely reflects concerning himself, with 
a view to the discovery and removal of any simi- 
lar defects which he may possess, and which he 
so much detests in others. 

74. 

Children are in duty bound to obey and serve, 
in all reasonableness, the requirements of their 
parents. Sometimes parents are sadly at fault. 
It is proper for children to acquaint them there- 
with, but it should be done with care and pru- 



Confueian Precepts. 55 

dence. Should the child meet with opposition or 
anger, he should exercise patience, delaying for a 
time his purpose, but should, when a good oppor- 
tunity offers, persist in his effort. Advice given 
to parents is frequently attended with unjust pun- 
ishments to the child. Resistance can only be 
justified in extreme cases. Usually we should 
suffer without complaining. 

75. 

The wise man is always moderate in his studies, 
also in his actions and conversation. He is often 
silent, but when it is needful for him to be in 
haste, he makes it his purpose to speak or act with 
precipitancy and force. 

76. 

To properly understand the character of a per- 
son, we need to have association with them, and 
reflect upon their peculiarities. " When I was 
young," says Confucius, "I imagined that all men 
were honest and sincere ; that their practical hab- 
its conformed to their utterances. But since I 
have grown to manhood, I behold things in another 
light. I am satisfied that I was mistaken. I 
now listen to what men have to say, and place 
only that confidence therein, which, with proper 
reservation of mind, the subject seems to demand. 
I examine whether men's words conform to 
their actions, and refuse to content myself with 
external appearances." 



Parental imperfections should not debar children 
from private or public respect. If in consequence 



56 Confucian Precepts. 

of the committal of crimes or misdemeanor, a 
father should render himself ineligible to office, or 
unworthy of human confidence, his conduct should 
be no cause of disgrace to his children, neither 
should they be refused that society which their 
good manners justly entitle them to. If a son is 
born of poor parents, or is of obscure birth, it 
should be made no excuse for objections to his 
success; but, on the contrary, his ample qualifica- 
tion should secure him the same employment 
which would be conferred upon the rich. 

78. 

Poverty or imprisonment are preferable to the 
most eminent offices of government, when they 
are conferred and managed by agents or rulers 
who are malicious, knavish or untrustworthy ; and 
he who accepts them is most likely to confound 
personal blessings with selfish interest, and in the 
end is certain to regret his action, from disap- 
pointment and displeasure. 

79. 

The path that leadeth to virtue is broad and 
secure, and it is our duty to relinquish no effort 
which would enable us to keep in its course. We 
should not complain of a want of strength, nor 
allege that difficulties discourage us, but deter- 
minate^ pursue the object of our regard, in the 
face of all disheartening circumstances. 

80. 

It is not enough to know virtue ; it is neces- 
sary to possess it. It is not sufficient to admire 
it ; it is necessary to practice it, 



Confucian Precepts. 57 

81. 

He who engages in persecution against a good 
man, chooses war against the best interests of com- 
munity, and derides his own character and happi- 
ness. 

. 82. 

Children should be in constant watchfulness over 
their own acts, and endeavor to avoid afflicting, 
offending, or displeasing, their parents ; this 
thought should be constantly uppermost in their 
minds. 

83. 

As the most desirable health is endangered by 
living in a malarious atmosphere ; so is our claim 
to godliness canceled by association with those 
w T ho are vicious and degraded. 

84. 

Sincerity and constancy of mind are a sure 
guarantee to a reputation for worth and sobriety, 
and constantly add to our happiness, notwithstand- 
ing our severest trials and difficulties in life. 

85. 

The wise man always takes counsel, sometimes 
consulting even the least-intelligent persons, when 
important affairs demand an immediate decision of 
judgment. When counsel is good, we should ac- 
cept it, although it should come from an unexpected 
and seemingly exceptionable source. 



58 Confucian Precepts. 

86. 

Vanity, haughtiness, and pride, should always 
be avoided. While thou mayest claim that pru- 
dence and ability which the ancients possessed, 
still, if thou art not humble, frank, generous, con- 
siderate, and agreeable, thou art likely to be 
looked upon as selfish and worldly, and contemned 
as a person of sordid inclinations. 

87. 

Consider what thou already knowest ; it is ben- 
eficial to restore memory by a rehearsal of past" 
experience. We are apt to overlook our own de- 
fects, and deride others for imperfections which 
we neglect to observe in ourselves. 



Do nothing ungenerous, unkind, or unjust, al- 
though thou art competent to make thine acts ap- 
proved. Deception may find security for a time, 
but never permanent justification. 

89. 

Engage no lasting friendships with men, when 
their company would endanger your personal rep- 
utation, or their presence become derisive of your 
sense of propriety. 

90. 

A considerate man is likely to blush at his own 
faults, but is never averse to their correction. 



r 



Confucian Precepts. 59 

91. 

All worthy aspiration is unaccompanied by 
envy, covetousness, or greed. 

92. 

Wouldst thou learn to die contentedly, learn 
thou first to live wisely. 

93. 
Give of thy superabundance to the poor. 

94. 

Make frank acknowledgment of all benefits 
received, by the return of other benefits equally 
to be desired. 

95. 

When we make a conquest over our personal 
defects, we secure the most worthy victory in life. 

96. 

In doing something to make others happy, we 
are conceding life to be a joy worthy of our trust 
and confidence. 

97. 

Let us freely confess our faults and mistakes, 
and thus reserve ourselves to honor and sincerity. 

98. 

Let us watch diligently and not lose our better 
opportunities. If we fall behind in the pursuit of 
virtue, we may be longer in securing it, and our 
sufferings in life may be thereby augmented. 



60 



Confucian Precepts. 



99. 

To justly regard those who wrong or injure you, 
without entertaining feelings of anger, hate, or re- 
venge, is indisputable evidence of the possession 
of worthy wisdom, and of a manifestation of the 
spirit of true religion. 

100. 
Bo unto another ivhat you would he should do 
unto you; and do not unto another what you 
would not should be done unto you. Thou need- 
est only this law alone; it is the foundation and 
principle of all the rest. 



f 



if 

.1 



Soon to be Published. 



THE 

MASTEEEOW: 



Being a treatise on the Du-al-vi-lon of Nature, as 
presented in the external and spiritual relations 
of matter and mind. 



BY 



MARCENUS R. K. WRIGHT. 



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62 

It is designed to investigate the subject of the 
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Address M. B. K. WRIGHT, 

Midclleville, Barry Co*, MicTu 






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